Doctoral Degree Awarded Posthumously to Heather-Dawn Small

At the memorial service celebrating the life of Heather-Dawn Small, the president of the Western Seminary, Chuck Connery PhD, spoke about her hope of the gospel that gave her joy and how her love for Jesus led her to serve her Savior faithfully and in an exemplary way. Despite the sadness connected with her passing, hope and thankfulness for her life remain. Heather-Dawn Small completed an M.A. in Ministry and Leadership at Western Seminary and right up to her death, she was working on her doctoral degree in Intercultural Studies there.
Pastor Novella D. Smith quoted from the introduction to her dissertation, where Heather-Dawn shows how the traditional Adventist approach to evangelism with Bible study either one-to-one or in small groups, evangelistic meetings, or seminar formats with a focus on baptism has little or no emphasis on relationships. Women’s outreach is more about building relationships. The vertical relationship to Jesus leads to a horizontal relationship with people. Vertical faithfulness leads to horizontal fruitfulness. Heather-Dawn’s research focused on Seventh-Day Adventist women in Christian outreach to diaspora Muslim women.
Pastor Smith then held up the framed Doctoral Diploma and said, “It is my honor, with the permission and support of the Western Seminary, to present the Doctoral Diploma in Intercultural Studies of Doctor Heather-Dawn Small posthumously to her family.”
Standing ovations of all present accompanied these words. She deserved to receive the degree she had been working for.